Monday, 10 October 2016

Butterbur but better

Two Migrant Hawkers graced the garden during the day of 12th August, along with Brimstone, Large White and 4 Peacocks. That night proved to be an excellent night for moths with 227 moths of 87 species including some good surprises. Among them was a macro lifer, and not one I particularly expected to encounter at home although it proved to be the first of three this autumn - an enormous dull (coloured), chubby-winged version of a Rosy Rustic - a Butterbur.

Butterbur, North Elmham, 12th August

Much nicer looking was this Bordered Beauty, hot on the heels of my first one on 6th August.

Bordered Beauty, North Elmham, 12th August

I was pretty happy with these, but had I identified one tricky tortrix straight away I'd have been even more pleased. But it was pretty worn and apart from seeming quite dark it didn't have much in the way of distinguishing features - although how much that was due to its condition wasn't clear. I had to dissect it to find out what it was. The female genitalia pointed me to one of the Endothenia species
but it wasn't immediately obvious which one. Eventually I figured it
out, though I had to get a second opinion before confirming it given its
rarity. It was a Woundwort Marble Endothenia pullana, a nationally notable species of fens and marshes that's only been recorded in Norfolk once before - in 1892!

Another micro would have been noteworthy had it not escaped before I had a chance to identify or photograph it. It was either Yellow-backed Clothes Moth Monopis obviella, which would have been another new moth for me, or Pale-backed Clothes Moth Monopis crocicapitella, which would have been new for the year and is supposed to be a rarer moth.